Lower Your 1998 Mitsubishi Mirage Insurance Cost

I can’t think of anyone who gets a kick out of paying for insurance, especially when the cost is too high. Big-name insurance companies like Geico and Progressive constantly bombard you with ad campaigns and it can be hard to sift through the bull and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

How to get insurance quotes

There are several ways to shop for insurance, but one way is easier and takes less work. You could spend the better part of a day discussing policy coverages with insurance agencies in your area, or you can stay home and use online quoting to get prices fast.

Many companies belong to an insurance system where prospective buyers send in one quote, and at least one company can give them a price based on that information. This prevents consumers from doing repetitive form submissions to every company. To find out how much you’re overpaying now click here (opens in new window).

The only downside to pricing coverage this way is you are unable to specify which carriers to receive prices from. So if you want to select individual companies to request quotes from, we have a page of companies who write insurance in your area. Click here to view list.

It’s up to you which method you use, but be sure you’re using the exact same deductibles and coverage limits for each price quote. If each company quotes different deductibles it will be next to impossible to determine which company has the best rates.

Get affordable car insurance with discounts

Car insurance is not inexpensive, but discounts can save money and there are some available that you may not even be aware of. Many discounts should be triggered when you complete an application, but once in a while a discount must be asked for before you get the savings. If you do not check that you are getting every discount possible, it’s possible you qualify for a lower rate.

• Buy New and Save – Adding a new car to your policy can save up to 30% compared to insuring an older model.
• Drivers Education – It’s a good idea to have your young drivers sucessfully take a drivers education course in high school.
• Accident-Free Discounts – Drivers who don’t have accidents pay less in comparison with bad drivers.
• Student in College – who live away from home to go to college and do not take a car to college may be insured at a cheaper rate.
• Switch and Save Discount – A few insurance companies allow discounts for signing up prior to your current policy expiring. You could save around 10% when you buy insurance coverage online.
• Pay Early and Save – If you pay your bill all at once instead of making monthly payments you may have a lower total premium amount.
• ABS Braking Discount – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles can reduce accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
• Low Mileage Discounts – Fewer annual miles on your Mitsubishi can qualify you for cheaper prices.
• Safety Restraint Discount – Requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts can save a little off PIP or medical payments premium.
• Waiver for an Accident – Not a discount per se, but companies like Geico, State Farm, and Progressive will let one accident slide before raising your premiums if you have no claims prior to the accident.

It’s important to note that some of the credits will not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most cut the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though it appears adding up those discounts means a free policy, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy.

The best car insurance companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts are shown below.

• AAA offers discounts for multi-policy, pay-in-full, AAA membership discount, good student, and education and occupation.
• Progressive has discounts for homeowner, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, continuous coverage, and good student.
• State Farm includes discounts for student away at school, accident-free, multiple autos, good driver, safe vehicle, defensive driving training, and passive restraint.
• Esurance may include discounts for anti-theft, Switch & Save, multi-policy, defensive driver, online quote, Pac-12 alumni, and online shopper.
• Nationwide offers premium reductions for defensive driving, good student, accident-free, multi-policy, Farm Bureau membership, and easy pay.

When quoting, ask all companies you are considering which discounts can lower your rates. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts might not be offered in your state.

How do insurers determine Mitsubishi Mirage insurance costs?

It’s important that you understand the factors that help determine your policy premiums. If you have a feel for what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this allows you to make educated decisions that can earn you big savings.

The itemized list below are just a few of the factors insurance companies consider when setting premiums.

• Commute or pleasure use – The more you drive your Mitsubishi every year the higher your rates will be. Many insurance companies apply a rate based on how the vehicle is used. Autos not used for work or commuting receive lower rates than vehicles that have high annual mileage. It’s a smart idea to ensure your insurance coverage shows the correct usage for each vehicle. Having the wrong rating on your Mirage is just wasting money.
• Single drivers may pay higher premiums – Being married helps lower the price when shopping for insurance. It is viewed as being more mature and responsible and insurance companies reward insureds because married drivers tend to file fewer claims.
• Age of drivers – Older insureds are more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents .Drivers with little experience have been known to be inattentive and easily distracted when driving with friends so they pay higher insurance rates.
• Bad credit will cost you – A driver’s credit rating is a big factor in calculating your premium rate. If your credit history is lower than you’d like, you may save money insuring your 1998 Mitsubishi Mirage by spending a little time repairing your credit. Insureds that have excellent credit scores tend to be more responsible and file fewer claims as compared to drivers with lower ratings.

Tailor your car insurance coverage to you

When it comes to choosing coverage, there really is no single plan that fits everyone. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs and your policy should reflect that. For instance, these questions can help discover if you may require specific advice.

• Is business equipment covered while in my vehicle?
• Does coverage extend to my business vehicle?
• Should I sign the liability waiver when renting a car?
• What is no-fault insurance?
• Am I covered when using my vehicle for business?
• Can I pay claims out-of-pocket if I buy high deductibles?
• Are there companies who specialize in insuring high-risk drivers?
• What should my uninsured motorist coverage limits be in my state?
• Do I need PIP coverage since I have good health insurance?
• Should I buy only the required minimum liability coverage?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and can provide invaluable advice.

Educate yourself about car insurance coverages

Learning about specific coverages of car insurance helps when choosing appropriate coverage at the best deductibles and correct limits. Car insurance terms can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Below you’ll find typical coverages available from car insurance companies.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)

This protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered losses include medical payments for you and your occupants and also any damage incurred to your Mitsubishi Mirage.

Since many drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages should not be overlooked. Frequently these coverages do not exceed the liability coverage limits.

Comprehensive insurance

This coverage covers damage from a wide range of events other than collision. A deductible will apply then your comprehensive coverage will pay.

Comprehensive coverage pays for things like damage from getting keyed, damage from flooding, rock chips in glass, a broken windshield and hail damage. The maximum amount your car insurance company will pay is the actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Liability auto insurance

This can cover damage or injury you incur to a person or their property. It protects you from claims by other people, and does not provide coverage for damage to your own property or vehicle.

Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You commonly see policy limits of 100/300/100 that translate to a $100,000 limit per person for injuries, $300,000 for the entire accident, and $100,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Some companies may use one number which is a combined single limit which provides one coverage limit and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.

Liability coverage pays for things such as emergency aid, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, pain and suffering and structural damage. How much coverage you buy is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as large an amount as possible.

Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

Med pay and PIP coverage provide coverage for bills for things like X-ray expenses, nursing services and rehabilitation expenses. The coverages can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance program or if you lack health insurance entirely. Medical payments and PIP cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP coverage is only offered in select states and may carry a deductible

Collision insurance

Collision insurance will pay to fix damage to your Mirage resulting from colliding with an object or car. A deductible applies then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision coverage protects against claims such as hitting a mailbox, backing into a parked car and crashing into a ditch. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are older. You can also increase the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Buy Smart and Save

In this article, we presented a lot of information how to compare 1998 Mitsubishi Mirage insurance premium rates online. The key thing to remember is the more price quotes you have, the better your comparison will be. You may even find the best premium rates are with some of the lesser-known companies. Regional companies often have lower prices on specific markets as compared to the big name companies such as State Farm, Geico and Nationwide.

A few companies do not offer the ability to get a quote online smaller companies work with local independent agents. Cheaper auto insurance is possible from both online companies and also from your neighborhood agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best chance of lowering rates.

Additional auto insurance information can be found at the links below

• Steps to Take After an Auto Accident (Insurance Information Insitute)
• What is Covered by GAP Insurance? (Allstate)
• Safety Belts FAQ (iihs.org)
• Teen Driving and Texting (State Farm)
• Parking Tips to Reduce Door Dings (State Farm)